Fall sports preview: Sequim High School volleyball

Head coach: Jennie Webber Heilman (25th season)

2016 record: 10-2 in Olympic League (second), 16-5 overall; 3-1 at districts, 1-2 at state 2A tournament

Top returnees: Tayler Breckenridge (jr.), Arlene Law (jr.), Annika Christensen (jr.), Isabelle Dennis (jr.), Brittney Gale (jr.),

Newcomers: Alissa Lofstrom (so.), Lindsey Leader (so.), Jayla Julmist (fr.)

2017 SHS volleyball schedule

Date Opponent Varsity JV C-team

Sept. 5 Jamboree 4:15 p.m.

Sept. 7 at Kingston 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 4 p.m.

Sept. 12 at Olympic 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Sept. 14 Forks 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m.

Sept. 19 North Mason 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Sept. 21 at North Kitsap 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Sept. 26 Port Angeles 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Sept. 28 Kingston 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Sept. 30 JV/C tournament ******* TBD

Oct. 3 at Bremerton 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Oct. 5 Olympic 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Oct. 10 at Coupeville 5:15 p.m. 3:30 p.m.

Oct. 12 at North Mason 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Oct. 17 North Kitsap 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Oct. 19 at Port Angeles 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Oct. 23 Bremerton 6:15 p.m. 5 p.m. 5 p.m.

Oct. 28 Olympic Lg. tmt. (NK) 6:15 p.m.

It’s a bit of good news, bad news from Sequim High’s volleyball practices this fall.

On one hand, the program is coming off back-to-back state tournament appearances for the first time since the mid-1980s, and several graduates from the senior-laden squad are playing in college this season.

On the other hand, head coach Jennie Webber Heilman and the Wolves are looking to replace nearly each of their starters and head into 2017 with a number of big question marks.

“It’s probably the most inexperienced team (I’ve had),” said Webber Heilman, entering her 25th season as head coach at SHS. “We have a lot of work to do.”

Back is Tayler Breckenridge, who played outside hitter last season. The younger sister of all-Olympic League hitter Megan Breckenridge, Tayler emerged as one of Sequim’s top overall players with 92 kills and a 92-percent serving percentage — both third on the squad. She also had 226 digs on defense, second on the team to teammate Adrienne Haggerty, the league’s MVP.

Also back is Isabelle Dennis, who played libero in 2016 but may be used as a hitter this fall, Webber Heilman said. Dennis was fourth on the team with 171 digs.

Returning to this year’s squad is Arlene Law, who saw advanced time at the district tourney, and Brittany Gale, who saw limited time with the varsity crew last season.

Newcomers whom Webber Heilman may look to in 2017 to solidify the lineup include junior Bobbi Sparks, who spent the past two fall seasons playing soccer; freshman Kalli Wiker, who played club volleyball and comes in with the most experience among ninth-graders, and junior Annika Christiansen.

“We need to find two middle (hitters),” Webber Heilman said. “And we have no libero (defensive specialist) yet — we may not have one.

“We don’t have a lot of options in changing things up (mid-game),” Webber Heilman said.

Other newcomers include Lindsey Leader, Alissa Lofstrom and Jayla Julmist.

Overall, Sequim coaches saw about 28 players turn out, with unbalanced numbers favoring the junior and freshmen classes.

“We got quite a lot of freshmen but we didn’t see them (in pickup games) over the summer,” Webber Heilman said. “They are a bit on the taller side.”

Sequim saw one of their more potent all-around senior classes graduate this June, including collegiate players Haggerty (Highline Community College), Ella Christiansen (Concordia College), Sydney Balkan (Tacoma Community College) and Maddie Potts (South Puget Sound Community College).

This fall, Webber Heilman said she expects the usual suspects — North Kitsap and possible Kingston, Olympic and Bremerton, all schools with close access to club team opportunities — to be strong contenders in the Olympic League this fall.

“That’s the advantage all those other schools have — it’s a 20-minute drive (to club play) not an hour and 15 minutes, one-way,” she said

Sequim opened the 2017 season with a jamboree against Port Angeles and Port Townsend on Sept. 5. The Wolves are at Kingston Sept. 7 and Olympic on Sept. 12 before taking on non-league foe Forks on Sept. 14. Sequim hosts North Mason on Sept. 19.